Seven young ladies recently learned the fine art of entertaining — from designing their atmosphere to planning the menu and setting the dining table — at a one-week camp offered at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster.

Someday he may be the top sports writer for this newspaper, or maybe he'll be on the Sports Illustrated magazine staff, or he might even be the Porter County pro athlete we all cheer for. Whatever his future holds, I have eighth-grader Matt Collins on a pedestal.

The dog days of summer are upon us. I could give you a lengthy description on how the term originates from the rise of Sirius, the largest star in the constellation Canis Major (Latin for large dog), but in truth, we all probably view the dog days of July and August as that last blast of summer,...

"Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a president and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country."

It has been 16 years since Lorie Kirkley's life was cut short by a violent crime, but her friends have never forgotten her, and the annual Lorie's Lakeside Century Ride continues to benefit programs at the Visiting Nurse Association.

When Rose Braun of Hobart was a young stay-at-home mom, she was looking for a hobby. She remembered her mother's small garden, and the long walks they took in the woods, fostering her love of all types of flowers.

When now-retired high school teacher Loyce Fandrei was researching experiments for her botany students, she came across an interesting craft — utilizing used computer paper and a few things from nature to make fresh paper sheets and bookmarks. She recently brought that recycling idea to a Trash...

Two Highland Christian School students received silver medals in the Junior Group Documentary level at the Kenneth E. Behring National History Day contest in Maryland for their film project, "Marie Curie: Impacting Science through Radioactivity."

Mike and Katie Lyons, Valparaiso father and daughter competitors, spelled their way to success in the adult and student categories at Memorial Opera House's spelling bee fundraising event, although Katie lasted just one word longer. Successfully spelling the word "dromedary," Katie outlasted her...

The campaigning is well under way and Americans once again shake their heads in wonder over the political chaos. At my last count, 12 men and women had declared themselves as Republican candidates for the 2016 presidential election. An equally large number of people on the Democratic side have...

The Boys & Girls Clubs in Porter County serve hundreds of children all year long, whether they're involved in after-school programs or summer activities, or even special trips. Every club is a safe haven for kids, with a focus on education, sports, life skills, and fun and recreation.

Although weekends usually are reserved for fun, some people feel the need to throw in a few errands while on the road. Rosalyn Jackson of Hammond combined both while attending the sixth annual Eat Shop & Rock event in downtown Hammond.

A block party usually means food, games and socializing, but just for the neighbors. When the Porter County Museum throws its block party Saturday, all are invited to explore the museum and enjoy food and children's activities at this free event.

Most companies and organizations celebrate milestone years with a cake and balloons. Latrice Edwards, founder of Triumphant Transitions, wanted to do something more than that to celebrate her 10 years in Gary, and to that end, developed a recent Community Health and Wellness Empowerment Day.

When 14-year-old Marta Bustos of Valparaiso was diagnosed with Asperger disorder in 2010, she didn't want it "out in the open" because she was embarrassed about it. Five years and many experiences later, though, she has come to accept her disorder and plans to talk about it at a conference in Naperville,...

It's all about rhythm as drum, drill and dance teams compete against one another at the 8th annual Show Up and Show Out event hosted by the Soul Steppers Drill Team from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. July 18 at Michigan City High School.

Arlieta Dahlstrom traveled to the United States from Bohol, Philippines, four years ago, married her husband, Peter, had two children, and now works as a certified nursing assistant. The only thing missing was her United States citizenship.

I really love hearing great stories about people who do something not for attention but just to help their fellow man, to make a better world for all of us. There are always bold headlines for the sad/bad perpetrators, but it's not too often that we learn about the simply good things someone does.

Officials with United Way and attorney Ken Allen met with young reading enthusiasts Tuesday and heard firsthand how the Reading Buddies Program encourages them, as each child picked out a new book and a new stuffed animal to be a reading buddy.

Riverview Park in Lake Station was packed with hundreds of boys and girls on a recent Saturday morning. But they weren't there to picnic or play on the swings — they were participants in the second annual Olympic Day.

Home gardeners, organizations, businesses and government agencies that include native wildflowers and trees in their landscaping are invited to apply for the "Bringing Nature Home" awards. The program, now in its fifth year, is sponsored by the Friends of Shirley Heinze Land Trust.

This weekend, we celebrate the Fourth of July, arguably the most favorite of the summer holidays in the U.S. We all know the day celebrates our independence, the birth of our country. That made me start thinking of all the freedoms we have continued to enjoy over the past 239 years; freedoms that...

If you read Jerry Davich's column on Monday, you probably saw the picture of a lovely mom and her son that accompanied it. Although the column focused mostly on how U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky helps his constituents (and I thank him for that), the picture alone is worth a thousand words.

Sending a child to college can be one of the biggest expenses a family can face. To that end, both students and parents get on the bandwagon early on to apply for scholarships before the backpack is filled with school supplies.

Because they enjoy dancing so much, Jefferson Bryant and Darwin Leaks, consumers of Tradewinds Services, rarely sat down during the recent Social Dance for people with special needs. Dozens of others joined them on the dance floor at the Jean Shepherd Center in Hammond during the event sponsored...

Many people have attended weddings and other special occasions at the Center for Visual and Performing Arts in Munster, but they may not be aware of the other activities taking place in the unique building located on Ridge Road or of the groups housed in the office area on the lower level.

The second annual Picnic en Blanc takes place at Taltree Arboretum & Gardens in Valparaiso on Saturday to raise funds for programs and education initiatives, as well as celebrate in the style of Paris.

Controlling the railroad during the days of the Civil War could be the difference between winning and losing the war, and on June 27 and 28, the Hesston Steam Museum in La Porte will allow guests to step back in history during these days.